STORRS, Conn.  – The Hoyas started slow and were unable to overcome a strong UConn defensive effort as the Georgetown University men's basketball team fell short against the University of Connecticut Huskies 98-82 on Saturday afternoon in a BIG EAST Conference matchup at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. With the victory, the Hoyas fall to 9-12 on the season and 7-9 in league play, while UConn improves to 14-6 overall and 11-6 in conference action.
 
ON THE RECORD
"The way we started off the game, we didn't have the intensity and the effort that we needed to be in this ballgame … We were down 20 points early. There's been games where we start off slow, but work our way back into the game. The way that they played––they played with energy and effort. … We are not going to win if we don't don't, one, rebound, or two, defend." - Head Coach Patrick Ewing on his team's performance against UConn.
 
HOYA HIGHLIGHTS

• Senior Jahvon Blair lled the way for the Hoyas as he tallied a game-high 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 4-5 from downtown.
• Sophomore Qudus Wahab was Georgetown's strongest presence under the rim, grabbing seven rebounds in addition to scoring 16 points.
• Graduate student Chudier Bile rounded out those in double figures as he chipped in 15 on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor, including a perfect 3-for-3 effort from beyond the arc.
• The Blue & Gray edged the Huskies in points in the paint, 34-32.
• The Hoyas shot 46.6 percent (27-58) from the floor while allowing 59.3 percent shooting (35-59) from UConn.
• GU stole possession from the Huskies seven times throughout the contest.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• UConn attacked from the tip, scoring 12 unanswered points before Wahab and senior Jamorko Pickett converted layups on consecutive possessions.
• The Hoyas would earn free-throws on their next three possessions, with Bile sinking four shots from the stripe, and Pickett hitting one of two, making the game 19-6 in favor of UConn with 13:55 to play.
• The Blue & Gray would continue to generate points from the charity stripe but couldn't get the offense clicking, going into the break trailing 51.24.
• The teams traded baskets to open the second frame as Bile quickly answered a UConn bucket with a lay-in of his own.
• After a step-back three from Bile, and a deep trey by Blair, GU cut the lead to under 20, 64-46, with just over half the second stanza to play.
• A late 14-6 run by GU during the closing 2:30 could only cut the UConn lead to 16 as the Huskies sealed the 98-82 final score.

 
OF NOTE

• Blair connected on a 3-pointer in the 33rd-consecutive game he has appeared in, and his trey now gives him 198 for his career, keeping him third all-time at Georgetown, trailing only D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (250) and Jonathan Wallace (240).

 
UP NEXT FOR THE HOYAS
The Hoyas await their official seeding and schedule from the league as they compete in the BIG EAST Conference tournament next week.